Wyoming QB Josh Allen hoping to find right fit, not top pick, in NFL Draft

ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper thinks Wyoming quarterback Josh Allen's name should be on the card when the Cleveland Browns turn in the first pick of the 2018 NFL Draft on April 26.

But if it's not, Allen isn't vowing to take it out on Cleveland for the rest of his NFL career or promising to use the slight as motivation during his professional career.

"It's not about going as high as possible," Allen told reporters at the Reese's Senior Bowl. "It's going as high as possible to the right team. So if I'm not the right fit for the Browns, that's fine with me. I understand that. Some people fit schemes differently. If I'm a better fit somewhere else, then I belong another place."

Considering Allen as the potential No. 1 pick carries some controversy. The NFL personnel gathered in Mobile to evaluate the Senior Bowl prospects anticipate Allen showing the arm strength to make all the throws necessary in the pros. And on Tuesday at the Senior Bowl's weigh-in, he measured 6-4 7/8 and 237, with 10 1/8-inch hands.

Despite the physical qualities, Allen has his detractors - at least ones who think Cleveland would be making a mistake if they take him at No. 1. Some ask about his production, which dropped to 1,812 passing yards with a 56.3 percent completion rate, 16 touchdowns and six interceptions in 2017. In 2016, when he played with four offensive teammates who were drafted or signed as NFL free agents after the season, he threw for 3,203 yards with 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. His rushing yardage also dropped from 523 yards in 2016 to 204 in 2017.

"I want to prove I belong," Allen said of his objective for Senior Bowl Week. "There's a lot of skepticism about the type of player I am and where I come from."

Even if he isn't the first player picked, Allen is still expected to be a first-rounder. Allen said he hopes to show scouts in Mobile that he's worth that investment from an NFL team.

"I want them to know the kind of person I am, type of person off the field and on the field," Allen said. "I also want them to know that I understand football terminology. Also coming from Wyoming and not playing against the greatest competition week in and week out, I don't think that has anything to do with football IQ, and I want them to understand I have a high football IQ.

"I love this game. There's one thing about me: I do love playing football. It's the only thing that I ever wanted for my entire life was to be able to be an NFL quarterback."

Two years ago, another big and big-armed quarterback came to the Senior Bowl carrying the small-school stigma. But North Dakota State's Carson Wentz played like a future star during Senior Bowl Week.

Wentz went to the Philadelphia Eagles with the second selection in the 2016 NFL Draft. He led the Eagles' revival this season, starting them on their Super Bowl run until a knee injury in the 13th game of the regular season sent him to the sidelines.

"Talking to Carson Wentz, he went through the same type of offense style that we have, the same terminology and everything," Allen said. "I was able to talk to him last year when I was making my decision (to stay at Wyoming another season), and he said the offense that we run translates extremely well to the NFL. It's a different terminology, but we run the same formations, the same concepts. It's a really cool parallel to understand that I'm not a spread system like most of these guys coming out of college. I'm going to be able to step in and at least learn the offense fairly quickly."

Allen will be on the practice field for the first time with the North team at 3:30 p.m. CST Tuesday. He's one of the four quarterbacks who will be practicing under the Denver Broncos coaching staff on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in preparation for Saturday's game.

"Getting to come here and compete with the Heisman winner, Baker Mayfield, is going to be fun," Allen said. "... Getting the chance to meet him, throw with him, talk with him and kind of push each other is going to be fun this week."

The Broncos, who hold the fifth pick in the 2018 NFL Draft, already have done some homework on Allen. Pro Football Hall of Fame quarterback John Elway, now Denver's general manager, went to watch Allen play in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. Allen threw three touchdown passes in the first quarter of the Cowboys' 37-14 victory.

"It's fun to look over there and see a guy with the great stature of John Elway," Allen said.

He's going to see a lot more of that this week.

The Reese's Senior Bowl is scheduled to kick off at 1:30 p.m. CST Saturday. NFL Network will televise the game.

North quarterback Josh Allen of Wyoming participates in the National Scouting Weigh-In at the Arthur R. Outlaw Mobile Convention Center in Mobile, Ala., as part of the Reese's Senior Bowl on Tuesday, Jan. 23, 2018. Mike Kittrell/AL.com

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @AMarkG1.